The Louisiana Tech women’s bowling team is better than ever as the Lady Techsters prepare to host (in Dallas) the Bulldog Classic Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The program has earned its highest national ranking yet, fifth in the National Tenpin Coaches Association February Poll released Friday. The top four teams in the poll remained the same with McKendree ranking first, Vanderbilt second, Arkansas State third and Nebraska fourth.
“The work that the team has been putting in is starting to show and we continue to keep moving up in the polls because of it,” coach Matt Nantais said. “I know that none of them are going to settle for being just fifth in the nation. We all have a bigger goal. Our success isn’t just about what the team has accomplished competing, but there is a whole team that helps us get to where we are.”
Louisiana Tech placed second at each of its first three tournaments of the 2020-21 season and finished first at the single-day event of the Lady Techsters Invitational on Jan. 15.
LA Tech had a strong start in its most recent tournament at the Prairie View A&M Invitational, but ultimately ended the tournament with a seventh-place team finish.
Senior Kaitlyn Eder was named the tournament MVP at the Track Kat Klash after finishing the tournament first individually with a pin average of 228.00. Sophomore Allie Leiendecker (214.25, 2nd) and Eder (209.00, 4th) earned all-tournament honors at the LA Tech Invite, while senior Ashley Channell (206.40, 3rd) and sophomore Danielle Jedlicki (199.00, 6th) were named to the all-tournament team at the Lady Techsters Invitational.
So far in the 2020-21 season, Tech has registered an 18.90 average per frame with an 81.0 overall fill percentage. The Lady Techsters have a 42.3 (1,215-of-2,870) strike percentage and a 67.1 (1,111-of-1,655) all spare conversion percentage. Louisiana Tech is led by Eder with a 19.69 average per frame and a 47.6 (207-of-435) strike percentage.
Grambling’s bowling team is also slated to participate in the Bulldog Classic.
Photo: courtesy LA Tech Athletics